Post by Keith on Aug 15, 2019 6:59:55 GMT -6

In news that reads like the beginning of a dire science fiction novel Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy, has emitted a large burst of infrared radiation brighter than anything ever produced by that black hole. The black hole is well-known to scientists, and was one of the subjects of our first ever efforts to image the cosmic beasts, but its still throwing up new mysteries all the time.

After observing for over four days using the Keck II Telescope in Hawaii, a team that has been studying Sagittarius A* for 20 plus years noticed the infrared light increased by 75 times.

Post by Keith on Aug 16, 2019 7:14:38 GMT -6

Record-challenging heat to surge repeatedly, bake southwestern US

A lack of moisture associated with the North American monsoon will continue to play a role in surges of above-average and record-challenging temperatures in the southwestern United States into next week.

Following record-challenging heat prior to the end of this week, temperatures are forecast to throttle back into Saturday, before challenging record highs once again next week in the southwestern United States.

Temperatures peaked in the 110s F over many of the desert areas of the Southwest on Wednesday and Thursday.

Post by Keith on Aug 16, 2019 7:15:13 GMT -6

Whopping 18 inches of hail accumulates in parts of Michigan

After record-breaking hailstones fell from the skies over Colorado earlier this week, a powerful thunderstorm unleashed significant amounts of hail in Michigan on Wednesday. In this case, it was the accumulation of hail, not the mass of individual stones, that captured onlookers' attention.

In some places, as much as 18 inches of hail accumulated.

Large piles of ice may be one of the last things people might expect to see on the ground in mid-August. But this is exactly what some residents across southern portions of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, found outside their homes on Wednesday.

Post by Keith on Aug 16, 2019 7:16:28 GMT -6

Downpours to aim at Delhi after monsoon kills hundreds and displaces over 1 million

Following news that monsoon rain has claimed more than 300 lives across India, Myanmar and Pakistan so far this month, the risk for flooding will expand to India's National Capital Region (NCR) into this weekend.

India has bore the brunt of those deaths with more than 280 people killed across six states (Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra). Kerala has been hit the hardest, with 104 lives lost, according to the Times of India.

Over 1 million other residents have been displaced with thousands of homes flooded, according to Aljazeera.

Post by Keith on Aug 17, 2019 7:30:08 GMT -6

BERLIN, Germany — Meteorologists say July was the hottest month measured on Earth since records began in 1880.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday that July was 0.95 degrees Celsius (1.71 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the 20th century average for the month.

The results had been expected after several European countries reported new all-time temperature records in July. Scientists say the upward trend will likely continue because of man-made climate change.